How to Sew a Cafe Apron in Ten Minutes or Less (with a Linen Napkin)

The cutest cafe apron only takes ten minutes to make.

With all the cooking that’s been going on around here lately, I could really use a new apron. And since I had a few extra napkin laying around from the bleached acid wash napkins project, I figured we might as well use them to whip up a little something.

These aprons are SUPER easy to create…Two quick lines of sewing and you’re done! Want to make your own? Here’s what you’ll need…

Materials for Cafe Apron

– tea towel (we used napkins from the bleached napkins DIY)
– cotton cord or rope (long enough to use as a waste tie)
– sewing machine or all-purpose needle and thread
– iron and ironing board

Cafe Apron Instructions

1. Fold over about 3 inches of the long edge of your tea towel with the wrong sides together.

Once sewn, this will create a channel along the top of the apron.

2. Iron the tea towel and press the folded crease.

3. Sew along the folded edge of the tea towel, keeping a 1/4″ seam allowance.

4. Sew another seam, parallel to the first one, 1″ from the first seam.

Feel free to use a larger seam allowance for the second seam if you are using a thick cord.

5. Back-tack all seams to prevent unraveling.

6. Cut your desired length of cotton cord for the waist tie. Knot the ends of the cording to prevent fraying.

7. Pass the cord through the space between the two sewn seams.

More DIY Apron Ideas

Looking for a larger apron? Check out this apron pattern for a full coverage apron that still only takes minutes to make.

Love the cafe apron look but want some more durable? I have another DIY waist apron tutorial that is made of much thicker material and even has a pocket.

Not too bad for two lines of sewing, huh? I have three of four of these now and use them all the time for cooking and crafting.

You could easily add a pocket too, for paint brushes or other random items. But I kind of like the simplicity of this sans pocket. One less thing to sew, you know?

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DIY Cafe Apron - Only Two Lines of Sewing

The cutest cafe apron only takes ten minutes to make. With all the cooking that's been going on around here lately, I could really use a new apron. And since I had a few extra napkin laying around from the bleached acid wash napkins project, I figured we might as well use them to whip up a little something. These aprons are SUPER easy to create...Two quick lines of sewing and you're done! Want to make your own? Here's what you'll need...

Keyword: apron, cafe apron, diy apron, quick sewing project, sewing

Servings: 1

Equipment

• tea towel (we used napkins from the bleached napkins DIY)
• - cotton cord or rope (long enough to use as a waste tie)
• - sewing machine or all-purpose needle and thread
• - iron and ironing board

Instructions

• Fold over about 3 inches of the long edge of your tea towel with the wrong sides together.
• Once sewn, this will create a channel along the top of the apron.
• Iron the tea towel and press the folded crease.
• Sew along the folded edge of the tea towel, keeping a 1/4" seam allowance.
• Sew another seam, parallel to the first one, 1" from the first seam.
• Feel free to use a larger seam allowance for the second seam if you are using a thick cord.
• Back-tack all seams to prevent unraveling.
• Cut your desired length of cotton cord for the waist tie. Knot the ends of the cording to prevent fraying.
• Pass the cord through the space between the two sewn seams.

Tried this recipe?Mention @paperandstitch or tag #paperandstitch!

Photography by Amelia Tatnall
Sewing by Linda Jednaszewski
Step by step photos and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff

Looking for a no-sew version of this project? Try this no-sew cafe apron using an old scarf.